Lack of organ donors led to seven deaths in a year

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in News
Last updated
by Oliver Evans, Health reporter, also covering Kidlington. Call me on 01865 425271

SEVEN county people died in the last year because of a shortage of organ donations, health bosses have revealed.

The figure was released to encourage more to join the NHS Blood and Transplant register and discuss wishes with their family.

Latest figures show 66 county people are waiting for a transplant, with most, 54, in need of a kidney.

Others are those waiting for pancreas, heart, lung, liver and small bowel transplants.

Donor recipient and father-of-two Barnaby Kemp, 41, of Headington, urged people to join the organ donor register. He got a kidney from dad Tim, 76, in 2001 and one from sister Victoria Hellon, 45, in April after his body rejected the organ.

The coffee firm boss, diagnosed with kidney disorder focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 1999, said of the seven deaths: “Unfortunately, it is not a surprise. You are going on dialysis with considerable illness. Your prognosis is poor at best but I also know people with dialysis can go on for 10, 15 years.”

He said: “The people who have donated and recipients say it is an incredible experience. My sister was hugely moved.”

The number of county deaths was for the 2013/14 financial year. In 2009/10 and 2011 to 2013 less than five died with seven in 2010/11.

Further details about the people who died were not available due to patient confidentiality.

Last year 33 Oxfordshire residents received transplants, compared to 25 in 2009/10 and 26, 25 and 32 in subsequent years.

Latest figures show there are 268,164 people on the register in Oxfordshire, which has a population of about 635,500.

This week’s National Transplant Week encourages families to talk to relatives about whether they wish to donate when they die.

Three UK people die a day because of a lack of donors, NHS Blood and Transplant said, but four in ten families do not give permission after death.

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We know that families are much less likely to allow organ donation to go ahead if they don’t know it’s what their loved one wanted.”

People can become a donor when registering for a driving licence and European Health Insurance card or at their GP surgery.

Kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel can be transplanted along with tissue like skin, bone, tendons, cartilage. It is open to all irrespective of their age or health.

The figures for deaths include those waiting and those removed, such as for illness for holidays.

Visit transplantweek.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. for details.

Fatalities and transplants

Number of people who died waiting for a transplant:

2009/19: Less than 5
2010/11: 7
2011/12: Less than 5
2012/13: Less than 5
2013/14: 7

Number of people who have received a transplant:

2009/10: 25
2010/11: 26
2011/12: 25
2012/13: 32

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